Lou Modestino has been The Enterprise's Motorsports Writer for over four decades. Since then he has covered the Northeast and other events for Stock Car Magazine, Circle Track&Highway Magazine among others. Modestino also spent 22 years doing out-
...

Lou Modestino has been The Enterprise's Motorsports Writer for over four decades. Since then he has covered the Northeast and other events for Stock Car Magazine, Circle Track&Highway Magazine among others. Modestino also spent 22 years doing out-of-state PR for the Oxford Plains Speedway(Maine) Opens

[caption id="attachment_610" align="alignnone" width="270"] Joey Pole, Jr. is at home racing in both a Late Model and a Pro Stock where ever he races and proved it once again at the Seacoast 100 at Lee USA Speedway in NH. (Credit: Joey Pole photo)[/caption]

By Lou Modestino

Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. used a two-lap shootout to best point leader Larry Gelinas en route to grabbing his second career victory in the Granite State Pro Stock Series (GSPSS).

Newcomer to the GSPSS Bobby Nadeau led the field to green with Marston Mills, MA native Billy Brady to his outside. Nadeau proved he had a fast car by jumping out to a quick lead. The advantage was wiped away as the first of 6 cautions flew for Russ Hersey’s spin in turn 3 on lap 14. On the restart, Nadeau drifted wide and collect Brady on the backstretch, ending both driver’s nights early.

Larry Gelinas inherited the lead, and was faced with American-Canadian Tour point leader Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. on the outside. Gelinas showed his strength as the pilot of the Watt’s Race Cars Cadillac would pull away from Polewarczyk, Jr. until a caution for Steve “Danger” Dickey would negate the lead on lap 49. Gelinas managed to fend off Polewarczyk, Jr. though, and set a blistering pace as the duo would put multiple cars a lap down.

The race endured another high-paced green flag run until lap 92 when George Helliwell and Tyler Fiscus tangled entering turn one, sending Helliwell into the wall. Gelinas jumped out once more on the restart and looked to be cruising to his second victory of the season until Brad Babb slammed the front stretch wall, teetering on two tires, and coming to an abrupt stop in between turns one and two, setting up a two lap shootout.

Gelinas, who was so strong on restarts all race long, just could not hold off Polewarczyk, Jr. on the final restart as the Hudson, NH native would beat Gelinas to the stripe and picking up the victory in the Seacoast 100.

Joey Polewarczyk, Jr. gave credit to Gelinas after the win. “If it wasn’t for that last caution, Gelinas would have won this race,” stated Joey. “Larry and I had similar cars. But I think that n the first two laps on restarts I was just a bit better. We had a few restart and Larry got the jump on those. The last one,though, I timed it right. It feels good to get a win like this. But I know how Larry feels, because I’ve lost one like this at Devil’s Bowl (W. Haven, VT).”

Polewarczyk, Jr. started from the seventh spot en-route to his victory which makes him the fifth winner in as many races in the GSPSS 2014 season. But, he was lucky to even finish the race. Because in pre-race tech crew member Nate Brown noticed a leaking valve stem and the Pole’s Automotive team quickly changedf the failed part to get their driver back to the starting grid.

Larry Gelinas had to settle for second on that night. “We didn’t need that caution,” admits Gelinas. “I figured the #97 was saving something for the end, I spun the tires, and he had the edge and he got me.” Gelinas, who now has 5 finishes in the top 4 to start the season, said "Luck has helped my blistering start. It's realy tricky to continue this streak.”

Youngster Derek Griffith gained ground all night and fought his way to a third place spot after starting the race 13th. “This is huge to us in the point standings,” Griffith remarked. “The car was a rocketship. My crew put me in a great car. There was a lot of green flag laps with some clean, hard racing. We are still trying for a championship. So tonight was huge.”

Matt Frahm barely made it into the Seacoast 100 filling the last qualified spot in the consi, But a strong car helped the Hampstead, NH driver fight his way into a fourth place finish. Dillon Moltz overcame a trip down pit road on a lap 14 caution to bring his Chevrolet to a fifth place spot. Barry Gray used a provisional to get into the show. But he rebounded with a sixth place finish, while Mike O’Sullivan, Joey Squeglia, Jr., Tyler Fiscus, and Keith Caruso rounded out the top 10. Moltz, Polewarczyk, Jr., and Gelinas picked up heat wins while Babe Branscombe was victorious in the consi.

The Granite State Pro Stock Series will be back in action August 9 as the series travels back to Monadnock Speedway for the second event of the season at the Winchester, NH track in 2014. Then a return trip to Star Speedway in Epping, NH on August 16 followed by Hudson International Speedway on August 24th. Then White Mountain Motorsports Park in No. Woodstock, NH welcomes the GSPSS on September 20.

The GSPSS will end the season at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park at the World Series October 18-19.